John 19 Commentary
A paper crown (like one on the birthday boy’s head) wouldn’t hurt so it’s not an option. It just has to be a crown of thorns. Thorns hurt. Thorns hurt humanity. They are designed to choke fruitfulness and prosperity. The ground produces thorns as part of God’s curse against the ground following the fall in Genesis 3. A crown of thorns on Jesus’ head speaks volumes!
Jesus is smitten further.
Pilate tries a couple of times to free Jesus but he is not his own man. Even the power he boasts about isn’t his, not at this moment. The devil is pulling the strings. The flow is in one direction. We can think about the fall of humanity in Genesis 3 and the loss of dominion or self-rule. Neither Judas Iscariot nor the chief priests’ team has self-rule. The devil pulls the strings all the way. What happens isn’t up to them but up to the enemy.
Pilate plays the bad judge. Fear rules. The chief priests are willing to lie – what happens when religion goes to the dogs. It’s actually the chief priests and the Pharisees who are on trial here. They have failed the exam. They repeatedly break the law they claim to hold very highly.
In Pilate’s mind, the closest basis for this case is Jesus’ claim to be king. But it doesn’t hold water so the case must be dismissed. John establishes that Jesus is innocent; yes, in our eyes but also in the eyes of Pilate.
Whatever Pilate means by the inscription, “JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS”, we can only speculate. Regardless, the chief priests don’t like it. They are blind to the fact that things must happen this way according to the scriptures.
It could be a mocking object, but like the crown of thorns, who knows what Heaven achieves by such items? In these lines, everything is significant – including stray statements and events around Jesus’ clothes. We may think of another Christ-like man who went on a mission of peace to his brothers – Joseph. His garment was torn. Jesus’ garment is torn on His return to His own people on a mission of peace.
“Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” Jesus is family!
“It is finished”. The statement isn’t, “I’m finished”. The mission is done.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus combine and bury the body of Jesus. The devil doesn’t have everyone under his control. The LORD preserves a remnant. They do justice to righteousness. Among Jesus’ disciples are the rich and influential. Joseph is powerful enough to have an audience with Governor Pilate. Nicodemus is a member of the Sanhedrin.
It is always a lie that salvation is for the poor, uneducated, and low-status men and women. Look at Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus and adjust your perception.
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